Double Trouble
by Proforce
Summary: Story 8! Chip thinks he's going crazy. There's not just one, but two Fat Cats roaming New York City, both committing crimes at the same time! To top it off, Dale and Foxglove are having their first ever lover's spat, and the arguments are not staying nice


"Double Trouble"

Authors: Robert Brown and Francis Tolbert

Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Disney (except where noted, in which case they were created and copyrighted by us or by another and we have permission to use them). The authors hereby give permission for this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user as long as (1) no changes to the story are made without our express written(not e-mailed) permission and (2) no attempt is made to profit from this story. If either or both rules are violated, it will be considered a violation of copyright law.

Author's Note: For those of you who don't know, the past few months have been a very hectic and stressful time for me. I'd hoped the source of my stress would move far away from me so that my life could get back in order. But even though that did happen, I've learned how things could be even more stressful from a distance. I haven't been able to get a good night's sleep in months, I can hardly find the time or the will to do things that have been among the things I love most (like writing and playing video games), and all my free time is spent wondering if anything else will happen to make my life worse. The wake up call I got when I realized that I haven't posted a story since November 2004 (and it just turned February 2005) was like getting thrown in an icy lake. So right now I'm making everyone a pledge: To the best of my abilities, I will no longer let outside events dictate my life. It's high time I focused on me and stopped taking the world's problems on my shoulders. I don't know if I'll be successful or not, and I may need time to get this idea through my incredibly stubborn heart, but it has to be done. If for no other reason, then for my own sanity. You'll know if I'm successful if I manage to start turning out fics with more regularity. Till next time everyone, Happy Reading!

Cast of Characters(in order of appearance)

Sergeant Spinnelli  
Officer Muldoon  
Officer Kirby  
Chip  
Gadget  
Monterey Jack  
Zipper  
Maltese de Sade  
Mepps  
Mole  
Foxglove  
Dale  
Fat Cat  
Wart  
Snout  
Monsieur Le Sewer  
Ratatouille  
Stan Blather

8

Sergeant Spinelli sat at his desk, rubbing his eyes because he was both tired and frustrated. Weird happenings weren't uncommon across a city this size, but his precinct just seemed to have more than its fair share. What bothered him perhaps even more than that was that neither he nor any of his officers could take credit for those happenings being solved. It had even been a few weeks, since any such happening occurred, but somehow he'd known it was too good to last.

"So let me get this straight" he said, opening his eyes and looking at the two uniformed officers in front of him. "You were on patrol and heard an alarm go off at this...what was it again"

"A dollmaker's shop" Officer Kirby said.

"Right, right. Anyway, the owner flags you down and tells you about all the stuff that was stolen. But the thing is, this crook left behind all the expensive one-of-a-kind dolls and stole doll clothes"

"That's what the man said" Officer Muldoon agreed. "And he was very upset about the bolt of purple velvet that was taken."

"Purple velvet" the sergeant muttered, leaning on the table to stand up. "And there was no sign of forced entry or anything"

"The only thing we found was a busted vent grate" Officer Kirby said. "But even so, it was only big enough to let a dog through. Or maybe a very fat cat."

"Or maybe a very fat cat" Sergeant Spinelli mimicked. "Look, you guys get out of here and do your job! And don't come back telling me about some animals that did this. You got it"

"Loud and clear" Officer Muldoon said as he and his partner saluted. Unknown to the cops below, two very interested animals were sitting on the fan above their heads, listening to this conversation very attentively. "Sounds like Fat Cat to me" Chip said, trying to focus on the humans below instead of the spinning fan blades. "Purple velvet is the same material that Fat Cat likes to have his suits made out of."

"I guess it makes sense" Gadget said, though she sounded a little doubtful. "I mean, we have been running him a little ragged lately. Maybe his suits are getting ragged too."

"Well, it's our only lead. Let's get back and tell the others." Gadget nodded and scampered up the tunnel she'd built that led to the roof. She emerged into the twilight sky with Chip right behind her. Together they hopped into the waiting Ranger Wing and flew off toward Ranger Headquarters. While they were on their way back, Monterey Jack and Zipper were heading toward a different location. "Ya know Zipper me lad" he said as he climbed over one of the crates at the dock"I seem to be spending more time around the docks then I do around me mates."

Zipper chattered animatedly to Monterey, who suddenly looked affronted by what his pal was saying. "Me, jealous" he said, his hand over his heart like Zipper's words had hurt him. "Now why would I be jealous" Monterey stopped as Zipper chattered at him again, an accusing note in the fly's voice. "Oh please Zipper" Monterey said, waving him off. "I learned my lesson about love a long time ago. The only love in my life is cheese, and that's that." Zipper sighed as Monterey started to walk away, but he pushed his own doubts aside and flew up to his shoulder. He was about to set down on Monterey's head for a quick rest when he noticed a sound coming from another part of the pier. He pulled on Monterey's mustache to get his attention and started to chatter away.

"Zipper, I already told you" Monterey began but Zipper continued to chatter over him. "What's that? You hear something weird" When Zipper nodded, Monterey looked at a nearby cheese crate longingly. "Aww, can't it wait until I've had a bite or ten" When Zipper was unmoved by both his plea and the most pitiful look he could muster, Monterey resigned himself to checking it out. "It had better be something" he grumbled as Zipper led the way. Monterey ran across the pier, staying out of sight of the dockworkers as much as he could. Fortunately, the dock wasn't well lit as night had yet to fully fall so no one even noticed him.

As they neared an even darker part of the pier, Monterey began to hear the sound that Zipper had picked up on. "Sounds like someone's busting into a few crates" he thought, picking his way between a couple coils of rope. "Wonder who it could be though." His wonderings were answered after he ducked under a few nets filled with fish.

"Hurry up you numbskulls" Fat Cat yelled to his henchmen. "I want to get out of here as soon as we can."

"Whatever you say boss" Mepps said, using a crowbar to break into a wooden crate that bore a French flag.

"Gee, this seems like a lot of trouble just to get some grape juice" Mole complained, pulling a glass bottle from where it was nestled inside a pile of soft straw.

"You dare call this grape juice" Fat Cat railed, his voice sounding slightly odd before he calmed himself. "I should've known you ninnies could never tell the difference between such fine wine and mere grape juice. And you wonder why I'm the one who's in charge..."

"Well well" Monterey said in an undertone to Zipper"looks like our old friend the Tubby Tabby is up to his old tricks again. Now, the logical and sane thing for me to do would be to slip away and get a hold of me pals. But, since I've never been known for being either, I guess it's time for the old straightforward approach."

Monterey charged out from his hiding place with every intention on doing just that. But before he could even make his presence known, a large animal, even larger than Monterey himself, grabbed him from behind and threw him into a crate full of goose down pillows. By the time he'd gotten free, even with Zipper's help, Fat Cat and his goons were long gone. "Like I was saying" Monterey said as he pulled a couple feathers out of his mustache"let's go get the others."

As Monterey and Zipper made their way back to Headquarters, Chip and Gadget were already there trying to explain the case to Dale and Foxglove. Unfortunately, Dale and Foxglove were a little preoccupied at the moment. "Why don't you get off my back" Dale demanded, baring his teeth in a snarl. "Why don't you grow up" Foxglove returned, her entire body shaking in agitation.

Chip and Gadget quickly interposed themselves between the two who looked about ready to come to blows. "What's going on here" Chip asked, struggling to hold his brother back.

"She/He started it" Dale and Foxglove yelled together, then growled at each other.

"Hey mates" Monterey yelled as he burst through the door. "You'll never believe who I saw down at the docks. Fat Cat's back up to his old tricks again, and even then he might have a couple new ones." "Are you sure Monty" Chip asked, looking over at him while still trying to keep Dale from getting to Foxglove. "From what Gadget and I heard at the police station, it sounded like Fat Cat stole some materials at a doll shop across town."

"Now Chip" Monterey said in a patronizing voice"I don't know who stole those materials of yours, but there's no way it could be Fat Cat. I know what I saw, and I saw Fat Cat as sure as I'm seeing you right now." "Isn't it possible that he did both" Foxglove asked, her curiosity momentarily overcoming her anger with Dale.

"I highly doubt it" Gadget said after doing some quick calculations in her head. "For him to have done both, he'd need to have been travelling at over a hundred miles per hour."

"Even I knew that one" Dale said with a smirk, and Gadget suddenly found herself hanging onto Foxglove for dear life.

"Would you two just knock it off already" Chip yelled, exasperated. "Whatever's going on between the two of you will have to wait until we solve this case. If the two of you can't handle that, then you should both just stay here and leave it to us."

"I can handle it if she can" Dale muttered, shaking Chip off him and turning his back on his girlfriend.

"You wish you could handle it like I can" Foxglove scoffed, mimicking Dale's pose.

"Knock it off" Chip repeated, louder than before. "Look, we've gotta try to figure out who's causing this so we can stop them. We'll swing by the dollmaker's shop first and see what we can find."

"And what about Fat Cat robbing at the pier" Monty asked. "Since we know who did that, let's tackle the one we don't know yet. We'll go to the docks and see what we can find from there." "Sounds like a plan to me" Monty said with a big grin. "All right Chip, if you'll do the honors."

"Why thank you" Chip said, making a quick sketchy bow before clearing his throat. "Rescue Rangers away"

The flight to the shop was a tense and quiet affair. Dale and Foxglove refused to even look at each other, and everyone else was very uncomfortable just by being near them. It was a good thing that the ride wasn't all that long, or it was quite possible that someone would've snapped in some form or other.

Once they arrived at the shop, Chip sent them all out in different directions to scour the area for clues, and they were not hard to find. "Look over here guys" Gadget said, calling the others over to an area of the floor that had not been recently swept. "These prints definitely belong to Fat Cat, Wart, and Snout."

"That would match the fur patch I found over there" Chip said, pointing to one of the shelves. "It was definitely Fat Cat."

"And the claw marks by the ventilation grate are the same size and shape that Fat Cat would make if he were trying to pull himself through." "But I know what I saw Chip" Monterey protested weakly. "There's no way I could possibly mistake anyone else for him."

"Don't feel bad Monty" Foxglove said, patting his back comfortingly. "Dale sees things all the time."

"Take that back" Dale said, zooming over to get in Foxglove's face. "Make me" Foxglove taunted, giving Dale the cold shoulder. "Time and place you two" Chip warned, glaring at each of them in turn. "Right now we need to get down to the docks."

"Why are we heading there" Monterey asked with Zipper echoing his sentiment. "I mean, we already know I was wrong."

"You weren't wrong about there being thieves at the docks, so we need to figure out who it was. After all" Chip added confidently"we just figured out that it can't be Fat Cat."

And yet, almost exactly an hour later, Chip was being forced to eat his words. "How can it be Fat Cat" he demanded of the others, looking at the clues that had been gathered in front of him.

"I wish I knew Chip" Gadget admitted"but the clues don't lie. Every single thing we found at the shop we found here, and then some. We even found some threads from Mole's sweater. There's absolutely no mistake about it." "I'm not doubting you Gadget" Chip said, trying to fight off the headache he knew was coming. "I'm just trying to make sense out of all of this."

"Maybe it's an alien" Dale said, diving behind a piece of wood to hide himself.

"Would you stop" Chip asked, his frustration evident in his voice. "We don't have time for your stupidity."

"I'm not being stupid" Dale insisted. "Or have you forgotten about that alien that turned into me"

Chip opened his mouth to argue, then he snapped it shut just as quickly. "I guess it's possible" Chip admitted reluctantly.

"Well it would be" Gadget said"if those aliens hadn't promised to never come back and bother us again."

"I guess so" Dale said, sounding disappointed. "Well then, maybe Fat Cat made a clone out of himself! I read all about that in the latest issue of 'Sci-Fantasy Weekly.'"

On instinct, Chip clenched his fist and rushed over to bop Dale on the head. Much to his surprise, and chagrin, Foxglove beat him to it. "Can't you take anything seriously" she asked.

"I am taking this seriously! Just because you don't believe in what I do doesn't mean I'm wrong"

"Calm down Dale" Gadget said soothingly, waving Monterey off as he looked like he might get involved himself. "Come on, we need to get back to Ranger Headquarters and think things through."

"Too right" Monterey agreed, walking back to the Ranger Wing as Zipper buzzed along next to him. "We'll all be able to think a lot better after we have some dinner. I'll whip up a special meal that I learned down in..." Gadget allowed a small smile to touch her lips. She could always count on Monterey to try and make things better with food, especially if it involved cheese. It didn't always work, but sometimes it was the effort Monterey put into it rather than the cooking itself that served to help. She started toward the Ranger Wing herself but stopped when she saw Chip standing as still as a statue, staring at his fist. "Chip" she called softly, rushing to his side. "What's wrong" Chip continued to stare at his fist as if he hadn't even heard her. When she gently placed her hand in his arm, Chip turned to look at her with an expression so sad and pitiful it made her heart skip a few beats. "Chip" she whispered.

"That's my job" Chip whined as his features settled into a pout, his gaze shifting from his fist to the still arguing Dale.

Gadget thought about that for a moment before her expression melted into one of gentle amusement. "Oh Chip" she said, kissing him softly on his cheek and guiding him to the Ranger Wing. She helped him buckle in as he sat there with a bemused look on his face, and then she turned her attention to her own seatbelt.

A loud yell followed by a jarring hit to the Ranger Wing startled her into looking up and turning around. In the seat directly behind her was Dale, upside-down and with his head firmly planted into the seat. Without even having to think about it, Gadget had a pretty good idea of how he got there. And when Foxglove showed up a few seconds later dusting off her hands, Gadget knew that her suspicions were correct. Once Dale was righted, with some help from Monterey, Gadget started the engines and the Ranger Wing lifted off into the sky.

Gadget hoped that the ride home would be uneventful and quiet which it was, for all of about two minutes. After that, Foxglove and Dale started snipping at each other. Gadget managed to keep most of her focus on the task of flying the Wing, but a few of the nastier comments broke through her concentration. If she weren't worried about the possibility of crashing into a tree, Gadget would've gladly turned around and given them both a piece of her mind.

Fortunately for Chip, he was bound by no such restrictions. "Enough" he yelled over both Dale and Foxglove, making the arguing couple glare at him in equal parts surprise and anger. "I thought you two said you could put this aside until after the case, remember? What happened to that? It's like you can't even wait for-Fat Cat"

"Wait for Fat Cat" Dale asked, scratching his head in confusion. "Why would I want to do that"

"No, it's Fat Cat down there" Chip said, pointing at a jewelry store. "I just saw him head in through a window."

"Hang on everybody" Gadget said, winging the plane over sharply in the direction of the store.

Dale leaned over the side as the Wing turned and saw something that made him do a double take. "Wait" he yelled, pointing across the street. "There's Fat Cat running out of the museum"

"That's impossible" Gadget said, stopping the Wing's turn to look at what Dale had seen. "He can't be in two places at the same time! It goes against every single law of physics in the world"

"Look out Gadget luv" Minterey called as Zipper squeaked nervously. Gadget looked back up to where she was flying just in time to see the Ranger Wing get clotheslined, literally. Gadget tried to keep the Wing in the air, but they had already become too tangled in the line. With a cry, they fell harshly to the ground, bringing down the line with them. Foxglove tried to glide clear, but she got wrapped up in the end of the line as it whipped around her and dragged her down as well.

Chip sat up slowly, checking himself for injuries. "Is everyone all right" he called, finding none on himself though his legs were wedged under the visor of a Yankees baseball cap.

Monterey groaned slightly as he unbuckled the seat belt that held him in place, sliding carefully to the ground from the upside down Ranger Wing. "I'm in one piece Chip" he said, reaching for his cap which had fallen off his head. But when he saw the cap floating up toward his face, he fell back on his backside in surprise. "Though I think I might've hit my head a mite." Chip lifted the cap just enough to slip his legs out and picked his way over to the floating cap. Grabbing hold of the cap cautiously, he yanked it up and to the side. A very grateful Zipper, having been trapped inside the cap, hugged Chip's cheek in thanks. With a patient smirk that made the look on Monterey's face even more sheepish, he tossed the mouse his cap and turned around. "Gadget? Dale? Foxglove"

"Over here Chip" Gadget called, waving her hand so Chip could see her. "I'm all right, but I could use a little help." Chip hurried over to where he saw Gadget's hand and pulled her out of an expanse of white material. "Thanks Chip" she said as he made sure she was set on her feet. "I think I need to reinforce our seat belts like I did to Monty's to make sure this doesn't happen again. I mean...oh, golly" she finished in a small voice, her eyes going wide and a pink flush staining the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. "What's the matter" Chip asked, trying to see what she was looking at. It took a moment or two for him to realize that the white piece of clothing that Gadget had been tangled up in was a bra, and a fairly generous one at that. Before he could stop it, the image of Gadget in a bra designed for her flashed through his mind and he could feel his own face heating up in both embarrassment and something else...

In the meantime, Foxglove had managed to free herself from the end of the line. "Dale" she called, looking around, feeling the first pangs of worry gnaw at her. "Dale"

"Foxy" Dale called, crawling slowly out from the pinkish material that covered him. "You OK"

"Are you" she asked, forgetting her anger for the moment. "I think so. Not sure what landed on me, but at least it was soft." Foxglove looked behind him and noticed immediately what it was. "I would say something" she said, laughter dancing on her lips and in her eyes"but not even you deserve that."

Dale stared at her as she flew off, not understanding what she meant in the slightest. Then it occurred to him to turn around and see what she had seen. Although he'd had no idea just what he'd been trapped under while he was under it, it took him almost no time to figure out from where he stood now that it was a pair of pink, satin panties. "FOXY" he screamed, feeling as though his entire body had turned as red as his nose.

After everyone had calmed down, Gadget set about trying to get the Ranger Wing back in flying condition. Luckily it wasn't too badly damaged and all they really needed to do was turn it right-side up and connect a few wires that had come loose. In a few minutes, everything was working and they lifted off without a problem.

Once they were in the air, however, it was a different story. For the entire flight back, Dale would just not shut up about how he had been right. Everyone else tried to tell him to shut up and that he was wrong, but no one could come up with any other excuse that even seemed plausible. "But Dale" Gadget said as they opened the door to Headquarters"you know the technology to make clones simply does not exist yet. Isn't that why you only hear about it in your comics and movies"

"So" Dale asked as he went to get himself some candy. "Maybe he found someone who could develop it, or maybe he stole it. Or maybe he even got it from some aliens he's secretly in contact with. I don't know, but I just know I'm right."

"Chip, help me out here" Gadget pleaded.

"I wish I could Gadget" Chip said, plopping down on the couch and taking his hat off. "But unless we come up with a better idea then we just might have to assume that Dale's right."

"I've seen some mighty strange things" Monterey added. "But this? Do you have any idea what we're up against if Fat Cat can clone himself" "I don't even want to think about it" Foxglove moaned. "Well, we have to do something before we're overrun" Dale said, jumping out of the kitchen to land in front of everyone. I mean, I gave you all a chance to tell me I'm wrong, and you can't. Besides, it's not like he has a twin brother or anything."

You could almost see the realizations hitting the faces of the Rangers when Dale said that. "But he does have a twin cousin" Chip said, sitting bolt upright.

"Maltese" everyone but Foxglove exclaimed.

"Who" Foxglove asked.

"Remember when we told you about the adventures of Ramdale" Monterey asked. "Maltese was the no-good cat that took advantage of Dale. And it just so happens he's Fat Cat's cousin and looks just like him." "And why didn't it occur to anyone before now" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Umm, we kinda forgot" Gadget said, rocking back and forth on her feet nervously.

"Although it does make sense now that I think about it" Monterey said, rubbing his chin. "I mean, it does seem like the kind of thing he'd do. Stealing French wine and looting a museum that specializes in French art isn't exactly Fat Cat's style."

"That doesn't matter" Dale cut in. "What matters now is what we're going to do about it now that we know."

"I say we pay a visit to a certain cat food factory" Chip said. "I'm sure we'd all like to thank them personally for making us think we're crazy." "Well, that didn't affect Dale at all, did it" Foxglove asked, flying out the door before Dale could retort.

At the cat food factory, Fat Cat and his cousin were enjoying a laugh about their exploits with Fat Cat's henchmen standing in the background. "What a stroke of brilliance it was for me to invite you to New York" Fat Cat said, smoothing down his hair.

"Indeed it was my cousin" Maltese said while twirling his mustache. "However, it was my brilliance to create a double crime wave between the two of us, no"

"Quite right, quite right" Fat Cat allowed. "But that even pales before my idea for us to dress alike and confuse the Refuse Rodents." "Perhaps so" Maltese said, a slight snarl entering his voice that made Fat Cat's goons back off slightly"but my backup plan is definitely the piΦce de rΘsistance."

"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this" Wart commented, his eyes shifting back and forth between the two cousins.

"It's all posing" Snout said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "I ain't gonna get worried until I see punches thrown." Fat Cat stared down his cousin before another smile broke out on his face and a laugh rumbled in his throat. "What are we arguing about? We are both brilliant cats, and our brilliance is doubled when we are together. Isn't that enough"

Maltese thought about that for a while and then laughed as well. "It is all well and good. So, where is to be our next strikes"

As Fat Cat and Maltese bent their heads together over a map sprawled out on Fat Cat's desk, the Rescue Rangers looked on from above. They'd landed on the head of the cat facade as quietly as possible and then lowered themselves down to the rafters. "We were right" Chip whispered as loud as he felt was safe. "Maltese and Fat Cat are working together."

"What's the plan Chip" Gadget asked as she edged closer to him. "We have the element of surprise, so we need to use it. Look around for anything we can use to get the drop on them, but be quiet." "Umm, I got a question" Dale said, making everyone look back to him just as they started their search. "If Fat Cat's guys are down there, where are Maltese's"

"Right behind you" two distinctly French voices yelled. Before the Rangers could turn around or prepare themselves, they found themselves tackled off the rafters and driven down to the floor below. Not even Zipper and Foxglove were spared the fall as the owners of the voices made sure to force them down.

All the Rangers were stunned by the fall and by landing on each other so they were easy prey for Fat Cat's henchmen to grab hold of and subdue. "Well, well, well" Fat Cat said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "And here we were just talking about you. Who could have ever imagined that you would have taken this moment to try and stop us"

Maltese laughed as he stepped up next to Fat Cat. "Indeed my cousin" he said. "But where are our manners? We should welcome these...how did you say? Refuse Rodents"

"Indeed I did" Fat Cat said with a playful lilt in his voice. "And you are so right; we do need to welcome them" Fat Cat's expression changed into a snarl here and his voice into an angry yell"to their final resting place" "You'll never get away with this Fat Cat" Chip yelled bravely, struggling against Wart's grip on his arms.

Fat Cat pondered for a moment. "You know, I believe you're right" he said, sounding surprised.

"We will" Maltese crowed, breaking out into a laugh that his cousin soon joined in on.

"Now then" Fat Cat said, looking over each captive with an evil gleam in his eye"how should we dispose of you? What do you think Maltese" "With all due respect" Maltese said"these rodents have shown an uncanny and most annoying knack for getting out of whatever devious situations we devise for them. So it is my opinion that we should just take care of them quite personally."

Dale watched, frozen in horror, as Maltese strode toward Foxglove as she tried to free herself from one of his henchmen's grip, Monsieur Le Sewer if Dale was not mistaken. But that icy fear turned to red hot rage as he saw Maltese grab her by the throat and lift her up, ready to drop her into his wide open mouth.

"Hey, quit moving" Mole ordered as Dale started to thrash about. One wild kick landed square on Mole's foot, making his eyes widen in pain. "Yeouch" he yelled, letting Dale go and hopping around on his good foot. Dale wasted absolutely no time. As soon as Mole let go of him, he ran toward Maltese at full speed, diving forward and striking him headfirst.  
Maltese's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull in sudden extreme pain as his mouth was stuck open in a silent scream. Foxglove dropped from his fingers as he fell slowly to the ground, hunching up in a ball and moaning pitifully in pain. Dale dove again to catch her, rolling them both away from Maltese in the process.

"Don't just stand there" Fat Cat bellowed. "After them" "Right away boss" Mepps said, letting go of Zipper as he charged over to where Dale and Foxglove lay.

Ratatouille was conflicted. Did he follow Fat Cat's orders, help his own boss, or focus on keeping Monterey Jack in hand, so to speak? While he was thinking about it, Monterey made the decision for him. He grabbed the rat's arm and flung him over his shoulder, throwing him into both Wart and Snout, causing quite the collision.

"Get up" Fat Cat snarled, trying to haul his cousin to his feet. "Stop lying around and make yourself useful"

"Don't you think I would if I could" Maltese asked, his voice at least a full octave higher than normal.

Fat Cat started in surprise as the realization hit him. "He didn't" At Maltese's confirming nod, Fat Cat felt a jolt of sympathy pain run through him. "Talk about a low blow" he muttered, changing tactics and trying to ease Maltese into a standing position.

Despite all the havoc going on around them, Foxglove was oblivious to it all, focusing solely on the chipmunk who was laying partially atop her, protecting her with his own body. "Why" she whispered, looking up into his eyes. "Why did you save me"

"Foxy" Dale said like she had just asked the stupidest question in the world"I love you. No matter how much we argue or anything, that's just not going to change, OK" Foxglove felt a tear leave her eye and gave Dale a quick kiss on the lips as he helped her up to her feet.

Just as Foxglove regained her feet, so did Maltese. "I am going to shred that chipmunk into so many pieces that they won't even be able to find them all" he swore, brandishing his claws angrily.

Fat Cat was about to second the notion until he noticed that they were the only two standing, besides the Rangers. "Perhaps we should put this off for another day" he asked nervously, backing toward his elevator. Maltese looked at Fat Cat like he was crazy, then noticed how the Rangers were looking at him. "He who fights and runs away..." he said, squeezing into the elevator with his cousin.

"After them" Dale said, diving with Monterey to grab the elevator before it closed.

"Hold it Rangers" Chip said. "What we need to do right now is find out where they stashed the loot so we can get it back to their rightful owners. "But they're getting away" Dale protested.

"Let them" Chip said. "They know we won't fall for the same thing twice and we'll have plenty of chances to get them next time." "If you're sure mate" Monterey said, though he didn't sound convinced about it. "I still think you're making a mistake."

"And what if we go after them only to have these guys move the stuff they stole somewhere we won't find it"

The other Rangers had to stop and think about it for a moment, but they all eventually nodded. "So, how are we going to find the stuff" Foxglove asked.

A devilish smile crossed Chip's face. "Oh, I think I have an idea" he said, looking toward the few henchmen that were just starting to move. "Think you're up to it Dale"

The next morning, all the Rescue Rangers were gathered around their TV to look at the morning news. "And so the string of mystery robberies has ended" Stan Blather said in his usual voice. "But in its place is another mystery. Every single item that was stolen was returned to the place where it belongs with no clue as to how it got there. Police remain baffled, but this reporter says that no matter how they got there, the important thing is that they're back. This is Stan Blather, signing off."

"Another case solved Rangers" Chip said as he clicked off the TV and put his arm around Gadget. "Good work everyone."

"Yeah well, if you guys don't mind, I'm heading to bed" Monterey said with a huge yawn. "We were up all night getting those things back. Someone wake me up...tomorrow."

"Monty, I think that's the best idea you had all week" Gadget said, standing up and stretching out her tired muscles. "I say we all just take the day off."

"Works for me" Dale and Foxglove said together, eliciting a tired chuckle from them both.

"Hold up a second" Chip said as something occurred to him. "I'm glad to see the both of you aren't mad at each other anymore, but I just have to know. What were you arguing about to begin with"

"Not that it matters" Dale said"but it was... I mean, we didn't agree on... Umm, you tell him Foxy."

"Typical Dale" Foxglove said. But where yesterday such a comment would have been dripping with sarcasm, today it gave off only tenderness. "We were arguing about... Hmm, you know, I don't think I remember." "Guess it really wasn't too important then, huh" Dale asked, leaning over to kiss Foxglove good night...or good morning as the case may be. Chip stood there and watched them for a moment before smacking his forehead in disbelief. "You two are made for each other" he said as he passed them on his way to stumble into bed.

"Don't we know it." Foxglove whispered before gently kissing Dale again.


End file.
